Captain's Corner: Strong run of tarpon

What's hot: Mangrove snapper are in the bay and grouper offshore, but tarpon fishing is too good to give up. Tarpon season started a little later than usual but appears to be lasting longer. Silverkings are cruising the beaches along Sand Key, St. Pete Beach, Anna Maria and Longboat Key. Many roam into the backwaters of bays, rivers, bayous and harbors. Some gang up in big, wide, deep-water residential canals and the larger marinas. Recently we jumped eight and caught and released four near "Beer Can Island" just south of the Gandy Bridge. There have been others off Rocky Point and near Port Manatee.

Technique: Some are having success anchored, live chumming then free lining big greenbacks or whitebait in the chum line. We have been bottom fishing with fresh dead shad.

Tips: Shad are not the only bottom baits that a tarpon will chew, but they are the best.